Ousainou Shares Prison Officer’s Allegations: ‘You Are UDP, Your Entire Family Is UDP’”
Ousainou And His Sister Amie Bojang in Court
By Landing Ceesay
Ousainou Bojang, currently facing six charges including the murder of Police Intervention Unit (PIU) officers, has accused a senior prison officer, Deputy Director Keita Saidy, of claiming that he and his entire family are members of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP).
During his testimony in court, Ousainou recounted his treatment at the Mile 2 Central Prisons following his arrest. He alleged that upon his arrival at the prison, he and his sister, Amie Bojang, who is also on trial as an accessory after the fact, were taken to an office near the entrance.
Ousainou testified that Officer L. Sowe, who escorted him, subjected him to harsh treatment, including grabbing and pressing his cheeks despite his complaints of pain.
“But before I was separated from my sister. On the uniform of the man who took us, it is written L. Sowe. Officer L. Sowe came to me, grabbed my mouth, and pressed it. I told him that my cheeks were paining but he continued pressing it. He shouted at me and asked me to open my mouth. He opened my mouth and saw that it was swollen. He then took me out of the area where prisoners were remanded. Officer L. Sowe asked me to remove anything on me whether money or anything, I should put it on the table. At that time I was only having D200 that’s what I removed from my pocket and put it on the table. After that, my name was recorded in their book. Then my thumb was printed and I was asked to stamp it on the wall,” Ousainou recounted.
Ousainou testified in court that Officer L. Sowe informed him he would not be placed with remand prisoners but instead taken to solitary confinement in a one-man cell, where he would be completely sealed off.
He said Officer L. Sowe, accompanied by several senior officers, escorted him to the confinement cell. Once inside, he noticed a bucket, which Officer L. Sowe indicated would serve as his only means to urinate and defecate. According to Ousainou, the cell lacked a window.
He further recounted that Officer L. Sowe threw a sponge at him, claiming it was meant for sleeping. However, Ousainou described the sponge as unsuitable, saying it was covered in thorns.
“He (Officer L. Sowe) then closed the door and gave instructions to Officers there that they should not open the door for me because I was under seal. The next day in the morning, the Officer in charge of confinement is a Commissioner called Dodou Touray, he came with other officers there. The other officer he came with was Sergeant Yahya Manneh, who opened the door and asked me to come out. He told me that I was needed by senior officers. He took me to an office called Officer Command and took me inside. When I entered there, I met two people there including Officer L. Sowe, on the badge of the other officer was Deputy Director Keita Saidy.
“I was holding a bottle of water, when I wanted to place it on the table, Officer L. Sowe said if I place it there he will slap my face. Then I refrained from placing the water bottle on his table. He asked whether I knew who he was, and I told him that I did not know him. He asked whether I recognized him, and I told him yes. He told me that he was the one who came to Anti Crime on a Friday, shouting for them to hand me to him so that he could kill me. He told me that I don’t know him because he is the one who is called Jumbo, he is neither a Muslim nor Christian and does not believe in anything. He then told me that he had a video which captured me wearing haftan and holding a gun shooting at the PIU Officers,” Ousainou testified.
Ousainou testified that when Officer L. Sowe informed him of the situation, he responded by saying the video should be published for the entire country to see before he would address the matter.
He further stated that he made it clear to Officer L. Sowe that he was not the person in the alleged video and that the video did not exist.
“He (Officer L. Sowe) told me that don’t you know there are cameras everywhere at Sukuta Jabang Traffic Lights. I told him that it was not my business because I was not there. He told me they went to the petroleum station and took the video, the person in that video was me. I told him that it was not me. He said I did not want to tell them the truth but I was sent by the UDP (United Democratic Party). I told him that is not true because no one ever sent me to go and kill people, and I have never in my life killed anyone,” Ousainou told the court.
“What do they mean by you were sent by the UDP?” Ousainou’s Lawyer Lamin J. Darboe asked.
“They said I was sent by the UDP. They were accusing me as well as other people’s Political Parties. They were accusing me and wanted me to say that I was sent by the UDP to kill people. But I did not kill anyone and I am not into Politics. L. Sowe was not the first person who told me this, since when I was at the Anti Crime, Officers were telling me that I was sent by the UDP. Even the Leadership of Anti Crime were saying the same thing.
“Officer L. Sowe’s counterpart, who is Keita Saidy said I am a member of the UDP and even my entire family are all members of the UDP. He shouted at me and asked whether I had taken them as dummies. I told them that I did not take anyone as a dummy. I told them that my family is not in UDP and even if they are in UDP, that is not my business. I told them that I don’t investigate anyone’s personal life. He said I was lying and that I did not want to tell them the truth,” Ousainou told the court.
Ousainou testified in court that when Commissioner Dodou Touray was asked if he had anything to say to him, the Commissioner replied that he had nothing to add and then left the office.
According to Ousainou, after Commissioner Touray departed, Deputy Director Keita Saidy instructed Sergeant Yahya Manneh to summon Corporal Abdoulie Jammeh.
Ousainou further recounted that when Corporal Jammeh arrived, Keita Saidy inquired if he was from Brufut, to which Corporal Jammeh confirmed.
“I was asked the same thing, I told them that I am from Brufut. Keita Saidy asked Corporal Abdoulie Jammeh whether he knew our area. Abdoulie Jammeh told him that he was not far from my compound. Among them, one of their colleagues Lamin T. Fadera, asked Abdoulie Jammeh whether he knew Lamin T. Fadera’s area, and he said yes he does. Keita Saidy asked Abdoulie Jammeh, which Political the area supports, Abdoulie Jammeh told them that the area has more UDP supporters, and he said does not know of my area but in their area, there are more UDP supporters there.
“Officer L. Sowe asked whether I wanted him to show me the video, and I told him yes I wanted to see the video. I asked him to release the video for all of us to see it. Then he refused to do it and asked whether I was mad. I told him that if he was sure of himself, he should show us the video. I told him to release the video so that the whole country would know who did the killing because I was very sure that I did not kill anyone. I did not do what I am accused of, and Allah the almighty is my witness. I told Officer L. Sowe if he wants everything to be clear to him, he should call the 3rd person who is said to be alive, to come and identify whether I am the one or not,” Ousainou testified.
Ousainou mentioned that he also informed Officer L. Sowe that if the person in question arrived, the truth would be revealed—that he was not the one responsible.
“Officer L. Sowe asked whether he was mad to bring the 3rd person for me to finish that one also. I told them that I am not a killer talk less of finishing someone. I told them that if they want people to know the truth since they were claiming to have the video, they should bring it out for the whole country to know the truth,” he said.
Ousainou recounted that Officer L. Sowe accused him of being unwilling to tell the truth and then instructed another officer to remove him from his presence.
Before Ousainou was taken out, Keita Saidy called Abdoulie Jammeh and asked him to bring Amie Bojang, his sister, to them.
“After when I left I don’t know whether my sister was taken there or not. Because I was taken back to the cell,” Ousainou said.
“Are you a member of the UDP?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“I am not a member of any political, and I have never even voted in my life,” Ousainou told the court.
“Were you at Yankuba Darboe’s demonstration?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked again.
“I was not there and I have never been to any protest in my life,” Ousainou responded.
“Have told the security heads that you did not kill the PIU Officers?” Counsel LJ Darboe asked.
“Yes, I did and I even told Anti Crime Boss about it. I told Lamin Cham about it, I told Pateh Bah, about it, I told Pa Alieu about it and I told the IGP about it until I tested the shoes. I wore the shoes and they were not my size. He (IGP) was angry and removed handcuffs with a chain from top to bottom,” Ousainou testified.